Summer Home Stay, The City of Mist
by Naabii
Summary: This is my first time ever publishing a story, so please be kind to me and let me know what you think. Enjoy!
1. Story Synopsis

Summer Home Stay

The city of Mist

Without warning, it slowly and stealthily descended downward, lingering silently throughout the city, with only one purpose… to kill.

Jack Newman had never been to a place where the food revolved around the entire room

Never been in a speeding vehicle which made breathing uncomfortable at times

Never heard of a tunnel under the ocean that linked two cities together

And he certainly had never been to the other side of the world before.

Nor did he care.

But all of this was about to quickly change. For when Jack was informed by his family that his mother had gone to the other side of the world to deal with an emergency situation, Jack, although understanding the reason why she left, still felt something very strange within him about his mother being gone.

And so begins Jack's first steps. To a world once isolated and forbidden to outsiders, where he would spend a part of his summer in an unexpected place while coming upon surprising friends, a quirky dog, a wondrous allay, and unwillingly awaken a buried nature within himself. And along to way of searching for the whereabouts of his mother, confront and deal with the growing threat of an indiscernible and deadly force that's shrouded in mystery.


	2. Prologue

For many days the small city was covered in a dense gloomy mist.

Wearing a small white mask and carrying several bags, an old woman walking along the road, slowly began to stagger in her steps. Her unsteady hands trembling, quickly loosing their tight grip that they had on the bags she was carrying. She then suddenly slipped out of consciousness, and fell heavily to the ground.

Slowly regaining her senses, the old woman looked up. And saw what appeared to be three shadowy ghost like figures walking in the distance. Two of the figures continued walking, and disappeared within the mist. However, one of the figures remained, and looked as if it was staring in her direction. The old woman reached out with her voice and tried to call out to it, but just as quickly as the other two figures had disappeared, the third shadowy figure also vanished before her eyes.

Rubbing and blinking her eyes several times to make sure she wasn't seeing things, the old woman got up and came to her knees. She gathered her things that had fallen to the ground, and then sighed deeply while gazing upward into the evening sky, as if she was looking for something. But the only thing that she saw was the swirling mist above and all around her.

Coughing a little, she stood up with her bags, and then continued on her way down the road through the mist.


	3. Chapter 1 Home Comming

CHAPTER 1

_** _Homecoming **

San Diego California's International Airport terminal was crowded, but not nearly as crowded as New York City's airport was where Jack Newman had just arrived from. San Diego's lifestyle was more laid back compared to New York's. With its beautiful scenery, year round near perfect temperature, and the pacific ocean in its back yard, San Diego was a picture perfect place to live in. The kind of place you'd see on a post card, signifying it as being a place of beauty, fun, and relaxation. Most people throughout the city were still pretty much dressed the same way Jack had remembered when he left a year ago, casually dressed, in jeans, shorts, and t-shirts. Looking as if they were all headed to the beach to have fun.

Aaaa, I love summer time. So good to be back home again! Jack thought as he stood outside the airport looking up at the clear blue sky and basking in the sun's warm summer glow. As he went through the terminal, he thought of the changes in airport security following the events of 911 years ago, when every airport in the country began taking extra precautions about keeping everyone safe. At one time, people were able to meet each other in the boarding lobby within the terminal as passengers immediately got off the plane. Now that things have changed, people had to wait elsewhere outside the boarding terminal.

_"JACK!"_

Jack was spotted by his younger sister Mia who ran towards him and gave him a big hug. She was followed by his older sister Naomi, and his father Benjamin who both joined in with Mia and gave him a welcome home group hug.

"Ok, ok! You all don't need to get _too happy _over my return," Jack smilingly said to them. "I haven't been gone that long. Plus I don't want you all to embarrass me in public with your over the top display of family affection."

"You've been gone a year son. That's a long time you know, so don't get mad at us for being happy to see you again."

"Yeah, It's just a little display of family love," Mia chirped in. "So if you ain't used to it by now then you've got problems or something."

"Or maybe since it's his first time being away from home, going to college in New York, he now think he's some kind of New York big shot," Naomi said while rolling her eyes. "You're not special you know. And calling us _three hours_ before comming home without telling us _in advance_ is not funny. Why didn't you tell us you were coming?"

"I wanted to surprise everyone."

"Yeah whatever. What did you bring me from New York?"

"My backpack," Jack said to her while handing it to her. "You know, the one you've been dying to carry for me."

"I don't think so," Naomi shot back at him. "And besides, that's _my _backpack you have there. You know, the one you stole from me a year ago, and took to New York with you _without my permission_, I might add. And promised to mail it back to me _after_ you got to New York, _but didn't!_"

"First of all I didn't steal anything. I just borrowed it for a little while. And secondly, I guess you shouldn't have any problem carrying it then since it's _your_s."

"Not when _your__stuff_ is in it. I'll start carrying it when you return it from where you got it. And you _didn't_ get it from the airport. You got it from my closet."

"You haven't seen me for a year Naomi. Cant you be a little more nicer?"

"No."

"What happened to all the love you just had for me two minutes ago?"

"It never existed. And I'll be nice to you as soon as my backpack is back in my closet where it belongs."

"I'll carry the backpack for you Jack," Mia said rolling her eyes at her sister.

"No, _I'll_ carry the backpack," his father barked. "And the two of you knock it off. Now _I'm _the one who don't want to be embarrassed by any public displays of affection from either of you, whether it's love or hate. So let's go."

Driving a short distance away from the airport, they headed toward the bay to Sea Port Village and sat down on a blanket that Mia had brought, in addition to making a small lunch for everyone. Watching people play in the bay on jet skis, sail boats, and mini yachts, Jack had always thought that San Diego was a great place for water activities. In the distance across the bay was the island of Coronado which was a beautiful place, but Jack had always thought that it was boring, and mainly for old people to enjoy. They ate lunch near the military aircraft carrier U.S.S Midway which was now retired and transformed into a Museum docked at the bay. Upon seeing this huge metalic floating city, Jack was reminded of the years that his father had served in the military, traveling abroad to different countries on several ships. His father was still in the Navy, but much to their disappointment didn't retire yet as he so often promised to do. Not that Jack and his family hated the Navy itself, they just dislike the government system that makes up the Navy and other branches of the military. And with things happening in the world nowadays and their dad getting older, they feared for his safety should he be called away from them to serve on a ship as he has done many times before.

"I didn't know that they put the Midway here."

"They did it months ago," his father proudly said to him while looking at the ship. "Only cost twelve dollars to go on board to have a look around. Want to go?"

"No thanks Dad," Jack said, feeling a bit repulsed.

"Oh come on son, don't think military life is so bad. I've been in for twenty five years so far, and I'm doing fine."

"Yeah dad, that may be true, but things in the military has changed recently. The government seems to be out of touch with reality, and I don't agree with their policy. Personally I think that the American government is too involved in the affairs of other countries and causes way too much trouble. You'll never see me join the Navy."

"Yeah we all know how much you just_ love _the military Jack," Naomi sarcastically said to him. "So we don't need to hear it, might spoil our lunch."

"Whatever Naomi."

"I agree with Jack," Mia said.

"Well at any rate your dad did ok. I have a nice home, a beautiful wife, 3... sometimes lovely children, which I'm still not 100% sure that we took the right ones home from the hospital when they were born, And most important, I'm nearly retired. So I'm pretty happy."

"You always say that you're going to retire dad, but you never do it," Mia wearily said to him. "Are you telling us that military life brings you more happiness than your family?"

"Yes."

"Dad! that's mean!"

"No, what's mean is some of the problems that the three of you combined have caused me and your mother for nearly 20 years."

"Children are supposed to make parents crazy dad," Mia answered back to him. "It's our job."

"Not me. I was always the good kid in the family," Naomi biting her sandwich defensively said.

"Well even though we've all heard this before, we hope you retire soon dad," Jack said to him. "You're not getting any younger you know. And speaking of your wife, where is she anyway? How come mom didn't come with you all?

"You mean, you don't know where she is?" Naomi asked.

"No. Where is she."

"She went back to Japan."

"Japan? Why?"

"Your mother had to go back for an emergency reason Jack," his father said to him. "Her parents got sick really bad, so she went there to help take care of them for a while."

"Sick! Dad I have to go back to New York near the end of the summer," Jack said in a worried tone. "Will she come back before I go?"

"I don't know yet son. Your mother said that when her parents get better she'll return. Hopefully soon."

"She left about a week ago," Mia said to him.

"A week ago? How come no one told me?"

"We thought mom told you herself."

"No, she didn't."

"Well son since your mother knows that out of all her kids you're the one who worries about her the most, she probably didn't say anything because she didn't want to worry you. Anyway, I called her yesterday and she said that she's fine."

"So much for my surprise visit," Jack said to himself.

"Mom hasn't been back to Japan for a couple of years now," Mia thoughtfully said to Jack. "Even though it's not the perfect reason or situation to go back to Japan, it's still nice that she could go. Besides, she needed a vacation anyway."

Benjamin stood up and walked around a little, stretching his legs. Chewing his sandwich a bit slower, Jack felt a bit sad at the news of his mother having gone back to Japan. He really wanted to see her during his summer vacation, but now he didn't know if he would get the chance to.

"Just call her when we get home," Naomi said to him.

"Dad said he talked with her yesterday," Mia, reminding her older sister said. "He said she seemed ok to him."

"You're not the least bit worried about her?" Jack asked.

"Nope, been too busy with my own personal life," Mia said to him. "Besides, it's not like she went back to a foreign country and is having a hard time there. She went back to Japan, the place where she was born and raised and... oh! Got a call coming in!"

Mia's cell phone rung and she distanced herself a bit from her family. Jack took a few more bites of his sandwich and let out a small sigh, his gaze trailing westward across the bay.

At home, Jack walked upstairs to where his bedroom was. Looking around, everything was still the same way it was when he left. Even the smelled hasn't changed, he thought. Jack figured that his parents had left it that way, knowing that he would return home. Although he hasn't been back for a year, seeing the room as it was made him feel guilty a little for being gone for so long. Jack however still smiled knowing that his old room didn't change at all. Laying down on his bed and closing his eyes, Jack smiled, and began thinking about the many fond memories that he had while living in San Diego. And for some reason, he also thought about a not so fond memory when he was a child while living briefly somewhere else.

Although he grew up in a pretty good environment in San Diego, Jack spent a small but unforgettable part of his childhood growing up in a nearly all African American environment in Ohio when he was 8 years old. Because of his racial differences, he'd often get into trouble, mainly at school because he and his sister Naomi were teased for being half Black and half Japanese which led to him getting into fights defending himself and his sister, and resulting in Jack getting suspended from school often. Just Mia was to enter public school, his parents feared that she too would enter a not so friendly school system and be mistreated just as Jack and Naomi were, and for this reason his father moved them all to California where things were a lot better because of the diversity of people who lived here. However, unknown to his parents, because of the teasing and fighting he went through in Ohio, Jack had denounced his Japanese heritage when he got to California because he felt that being half Japanese was the source of his problems. He wanted to fit in with others, and being in California he did. As he grew older, his physical appearance favored his African American heritage instead of his Japanese heritage, and no one ever suspected that he was half Japanese. During those days of growing up, his Japanese side got even further lost and buried within him, however Jack cared nothing of this happening to him. Jack stared at the ceiling thinking back on those days and let out a small sigh. Discontinuing his thoughts of Ohio, he instead turned his thoughts toward his mother and how much he wanted to see her. Just as he began thinking about her, he heard a quick knock coming from the other side the door, and then it suddenly flung wide open.

"You're supposed to wait until I say come in before you open the door Naomi."

"Just like you're suppose to wait until I say you can borrow my backpack before you take it," she shot back at him. "Anyway, come with me!"

Jack gave Naomi a puzzled look. "Where are you going?"

"Not _me, We_! We're going to the store."

"No, not _we_, _You_!" Jack said to his sister while grabbing his pillow and turning onto his side facing away from her. "I just flew in from one side of the country to the other carrying heavy bags. I'm tired. I have jet lag."

"You don't look tired to me," Naomi raising one eyebrow and crossing her arms said to him. "And you don't have jet lag either." And also, _we_ carried your bags, and they weren't heavy."

"I'm still tired."

"Come on Jack, Dad want me to go shopping!"

"So what part of dad wants Y-O-U to go shopping and not me you didn't understand?"

"I don't want to carry all that stuff by myself!"

"So what's your point?"

"You have to help and it's getting dark out there. You wouldn't want anything bad to happen to a cute girl like me would you?"

"What's in it for me if I go with you?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? That's not very useful to me," Jack said to her while putting the pillow over his head.

"You get the satisfaction of eating a nice home cooked dinner from me."

"No thanks. I already ate on the plane and at Sea Port Village."

"You also get the satisfaction of hanging out with your favorite sister... Me."

"Mia's my favorite sister."

"No, _she's_ the sister who owes you a lot of money because she always borrows but never pays back. Can't even imagine why you would say that she's your favorite. I never borrowed anything from you. But, I remember someone said that they borrowed my brand new backpack and took it to New York with them a year ago and never bothered to tell me or send it back to me. I haven't even inspected it yet. It probably has a lot of scratches and marks on it, interior ripped, shoulder strap cushion flat, bad smell to it, zipper broken, worn out. You should buy me a new one. Also..."

"Ok ok, I'll go to the store with you," Jack said quickly turning around to face his sister, not wanting to hear anything more about the backpack.

"Really? Ok, let's go."

"As long as you just shut up I'll go with you."

"What was that?"

"Nothing," he said to her while letting out a sigh and rolling out of bed. "Let's just go."

Going downstairs, Jack and Naomi passed by their father and tells him that they are off to the store. Benjamin then handed them a list of things to get.

"We'll be back in a little while dad."

"If mom calls tell her I will call her when we come back," Jack said to him. "How was she when you last talked to her dad?"

"Your mother sounded fine, a bit tired but fine. I wouldn't worry about her too much."

"Hmm..." looking at the list of things to get, Naomi voices her displeasure.

"We have to get this much stuff dad?"

"Your mother usually does the shopping, so she made this list for us before she left," he said to his daughter. "And since she left and you and your sister ate up nearly everything in this house it's only fair that you two should go shopping."

"Well where is she?" Naomi wondered looking around. "Since Mia did helped eat everything, shouldn't she come too?"

"She said that she had to go somewhere quick but she'll be back soon."

"In other words, she didn't want to go shopping," she said to her father. Turning and glaring at Jack, Naomi barked, "Still think she's your favorite sister now?"

Defending Mia, Jack simply retorted that his younger sister is simply just a little misguided, and also added that since the cost of the food is not coming out of either Naomi's or his pocket, why complain?

Driving to the store, Jack's mind was else where. He asked Naomi if their mother was really ok, and she told him that as far as she knew she was. However, she did noticed that for some reason their mother seemed a bit more sad and worried than normal. Reason that Naomi didn't understand. Jack let Naomi's words sink into his mind. He then began thinking about the words that Mia had said to him. About how that their mother didn't go to a place where she would have a hard time at. She went back to Japan. Back to the place where she was born and raised. She was home. And as the old saying goes, you can take the person out of the country but you can never take the country out of the person. Even though his mother Hitomi left Japan many years ago to marry his father, an African American service man, still, she_ is_ Japanese. And she has her Japanese heritage to fall back on if she ever went back to Japan, and this was something that no one could ever take away from her, no matter what country she lived in. With this in mind, Jack thought that he shouldn't worry too much about his mother. However, he still couldn't get passed Naomi's words of telling him that for some reason their mother left for Japan in a state of sadness that she couldn't understand. And this increased his feelings of worry even more about her being gone.


	4. Chapter 2 The Missing Link

**CHAPTER 2**

****The Missing Link ****

After leaving the Chula Vista Nature Center where he often visited when he was a kid, at Jack's request, Naomi made a second detour to Mission Beach, another one of his favorite spots to hang out at. After getting a light snack consisting of chips and sodas, Jack and Naomi sat on a wall along the board walk near the sand and watched the sun set.

"Boys and their bugs. Why did we have to go to the Chula Vista Nature Center anyway? I don't like that place."

"Because there's a marsh there and I like marshes. The marsh is full of many things living there that no one knows about. You don't think it's interesting?"

"No. And next time I'm not going there with you," Naomi said to him.

"Aaaah. It's Been a long time since I last came here. Everything still look and feels the same."

"Yeah, and everything still smells the same too... Fishy!"

"It's the beach Naomi, it's _supposed to smell fishy. _How come you hate beaches so much anyway?"

"I don't hate beaches, I just think that too much sun isn't good for my skin, or anyone else's skin for that matter. It's crazy how people can just lie out here for hours and hours and get bombarded with radiation from the sun that could kill them. If they all could actually see what's falling down on them they'd think differently about lying around here. Don't they even care about themselves?"

"There are other things that you can do here beside lying on the beach Naomi. Look around, people are jogging..."

"I hate jogging."

"People are roller skating..."

"I badly twisted my ankle once after I fell down skating remember."

"People are walking..."

"Walking up and down this long board walk makes my feet tired."

"The point I'm trying to make Naomi is that city life is full of stress. So at some point in our lives we should just get away from everything in the city; cars, telephones, telivison, bars, theaters... _everything! _And just go out into nature relax. It's nice to come here and listen to the sound of the ocean, feel the cool breeze of the wind, and forget about everything for a while and just relax. Besides, there's _one thing_ that you like to do that you can do here... ride a bike."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. But still, even though it's fun to be here if not careful this place could kill you.

"Whatever you say Naomi," Jack said to her shaking his head. Looking at the sunset, he turned his thoughts inward, and then westward across the sea.

"Think she's ok?"

"Who?"

"Mom."

"Mom? Of course she is," she said to him, hesitating a bit. "I guess. But of course, knowing you, you wont be satisfied until you actually hear from her. Once a mommy's boy, always a mommy's boy."

Jack gave his sister a dirty look. "Just because I'm still dad and mom's favorite child, that doesn't mean that you have to be jealous."

"Yeah, you wish stupid. Anyway, it's like dad said. Mom is pretty tough. She can Handle herself there. But still, I have to admit I am a bit worried about her too."

"Yeah? How so?"

"She just seemed like she was a little sad about going there."

"Well, her parent's are sick Naomi. I guess that would make anyone sad."

"Yeah, I know," she said, agreeing with him. "But that's not what I mean. Mom was sad for some other reason I think."

"Did she say anything?"

"No. But I kind of felt that there was something else bugging her. And you know mom, she is not going tell us what's _really _going on in her head because she doesn't want us to worry._"_

"How about Dad? Do you think he knows something?"

"Maybe. But sometimes Mom don't tell Dad everything in her heart or mind either."

"Really? How come _you _seem toknow these things about Mom and I don't?"

"Because you're not a girl. So obviously, it's a girl thing. You wouldn't understand._"_

"Whatever."

"Anyway, when do you have to go back to New York?"

"In about 4 weeks."

"That's a nice long vacation for you."

"Long enough I guess. But it would have been nice if Mom were here."

"I know," she said to him while looking at her watch. "Speaking of being somewhere, we'd better get going. Dad probably fixed himself a snack to keep his stomach happy before dinner, but he will be mad at us if we come back too late with the grocery."

"Yeah," Jack said to her, jumping off the wall and brushing the sand off of his pants. "Besides, Dad is cooking tonight so I'm looking forward to a home cooked meal."

"I'll also make you something while you are here ok."

"You? No thanks. I want to go back to New York _without_ any stomach problems."

Being offended, Naomi picked up a mound of sand in her hand and threw it at her brother which he easily avoided. Waving the car keys at her and smiling, Jack turned around and quickly started walking away from his sister. Taking the hint that he may leave her stranded at the beach, Naomi brushed the sand off of her hand and hurried after him.

Returning home, Jack and Naomi went into the kitchen where their father was preparing to cook while Mia was setting the table.

"Oh look, she finally showed up."

"What took you two so long?" Mia said, ignoring her older sister comment.

"If we had an extra hand to help us with the groceries we wouldn't have taken so long coming back," Naomi sarcastically said back to her Jack decided to remain silent because it was after all his ideal to go to the nature center and the beach anyway. Changing the subject, Jack asked his Dad a question to divert all attention from them being late.

"Mmmmmm, something smells good dad, what did you cooked so far?"

"Boiled water."

"Ha Ha, very funny. What are we having for dinner?"

"Well son, since you came back home, I thought I'd make your favorite meal tonight... spaghetti."

"Mmmmmmmmm, thanks dad. I can smell it in my brain already. I'm going to enjoy eating it."

"I thought you would," he smilingly said to his son. "Now then, seeing that you two are back... by the way, you two did get everything on the list right?"

"Yeah, we did."

"Well in that case, get out of the kitchen. I've got work to do."

Jack smiled. He knew that next to his family and job, his father also loved cooking, even though his mother never let him cook so often because she doesn't think he's a good cook. Benjamin cooking for the family was a rare treat, and Jack didn't mind his father's cooking at all. And even if it didn't taste as good as his mother's cooking, Jack wouldn't complain about his father's cooking because it made him really happy.

As they finally sat down to eat, Jack praised his father for the meal and tells them about his time in New York and how his school and part time job was going there. The phone rings, and Mia jumps for it.

"Nobody move! I'll get it!"

"One of her strange friends again," Naomi said to them.

"You'll get a nice long vacation while you're here Jack. With New York being a fast pace city, I'm sure it's nice to be back home where life is a bit slower."

"Yeah you're right dad. But sometimes the fast paced lifestyle there is fun. It's not too bad. The traffic is though."

"Jack! Telephone!"

"Whoever it is tell them you're busy eating and you'll call them back later. You know how we don't like to be interrupted with phone calls during family time."

"Only you feel that way dad," Naomi said while taking another bite of dinner."Not the rest of us._"_

"Yeah, that's right. And since I don't see any of your names on any of the house bills here, like rent, electricity, water, and gas, I get to make the rules. No phone calls during dinner time."

Naomi rolled her eyes and shook her head as Jack left for the living room and took the phone from Mia who went back into the dining room to finish her meal.

"Hello?"

_"Jack?"_

"Mom!"

_"It's good to hear from you Jack, but what are you doing there? I thought that you were in New York."_

"I came home to visit for the summer!"

_"You should have told us before you came home Jack."_

"Oops!" Jack says to his mother while laughing a bit. "Anyway, never mind me mom, how are you? When are you coming back home?"

_"Slow down, I've been here for a week now and I'm fine."_

"Well that's good to hear. How long will you be there?

_"I don't know son_," she said while letting out a tired sigh. _"My parents are really sick, so I am trying my best to take care of them."_

"I see," Jack said, his voice sounding a bit sad. "Well, are they getting better?"

_"Well, I hope so. My parents are old Jack, so older people don't heal as fast as young people do. It'll take them a while to regain all of their strength. How long will you be home?_"

"Only 4 weeks mom. I was really hoping to see you when I got here."

Coughing a bit and clearing her throat she said, _"I'm sure you _willwhen I return there."

"Mom are you ok? You don't sound too well."

_"Yes I'm fine, I must have just inhaled some dust or something. I'm ok." _

"What's that ringing sound I hear?"

_"It's a bell that I gave to my parents to ring if they need something."_

"Oh, like when you gave us bells to use when we were sick too?"

_"Yes, but my parents actually use it for real reasons. However, my children used the bells I gave them for stupid reasons, like bring them a magazine, or chips, or something. And sometimes when you all were sick in bed, you would use your cell phones to call me on the main phone at home when I'm in the next room just to get my attention. _

"Why do you _remember crazy things like that mom?"_

"_Because my children did crazy things like that and its not easy to forget," _she said back to him laughing a little._ "Anyway, I have to go and see what my parents want. Tell you father that I will try to call him later ok."_

"Ok mom, I will."

_"And son ..."_

"Yes mom?"

_"It's really good to hear your voice again."_

"Thanks mom," Jack warmly responded back to her. "Take care of yourself and your parents while you are there ok."

_"I will. Talk with you soon ok. Bye bye Jack."_

"See you later mom."

Jack looked at the phone a moment before finally hanging it up, feeling relieved and happy that he had finally heard from his mother. But for some reason, he also felt a little strange after talking with her. Shrugging off the feeling, he went back to the dining room.

"How was you mother?"

"She says that she fine dad, and will call you later. We didn't talk long though because she had to go and help her parents."

"Ok," he said while standing up and stretching his arms out a little. "Well, since Mia volunteered to wash dishes, you can help her."

"I did?" Mia responded, sounding confused. "I didn't hear my brain tell my mouth to say that."

"I know," her father said to her while walking out of the dining room area, his voice trailing off in the distance. "Your brain told my mouth to say it for you."

"Set up the table, clear the table, wash and dry the dishes. Does the back of my shirt have the words _slave girl_ written on it?"

"Should have came shopping with us," Naomi said to her sister while laughing a little. Jack however, didn't really hear Mia's complaints. He appeared to be deep in thought.

"Hey, Jack! Are you there?"

Jack quickly snapped back to reality at the sound of Mia's voice.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Mom."

"Why? She say something strange to you?"

"No. Well, actually, she kind of did."

"What was it?"

"She said bye bye to me."

"What's so strange about that?" Mia said to him. "Everyone says bye to each other before they hang up the phone."

"Yeah I know but... usually when I talk to mom on the phone we never tell each other _bye bye_. We usually say _see you later_."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," Naomi said laughing a bit. "That's because when you were a little kid going to school and she said to you _bye bye_ you cried like a baby because she left you there. So she had to change the words _bye bye_ to _see you later_, just to get you to stop crying. See, I told you you're a mommy's boy."

"Shut up. How come you know this anyway?"

"Mom told us long time ago. We had a good laugh about it too."

"Whatever. Anyway, she sounded tired. And was coughing."

"I think your brain is once again over reacting," Naomi said to him. "Mom's ok. So stop worrying."

"And help me clean up this place," Mia added. "I got things to do later."

"I'm not done eating yet."

"Well hurry up. Or you can just wash your own dishes."

Jack quieted his mouth by stuffing more food in his mouth. However, he still found himself thinking about his mother.

A few days passed by, and Jack spent a lot of time visiting some of his old friends. Although most of them had either gone into the military, moved to another part of California, or went to college somewhere, he was happy that there were a few friends left to visit. Coming back home, he saw his father in the living room watching TV and decided to join him.

"Had fun hanging out son?"

"Yeah, it was ok. I went to the beach. It was a little too crowded, but it's summer time, so everyone like going to the beach. What are you watching?"

"Just the news. I was watching a report about some kind of explosion on a ship that happened out at sea somewhere a few weeks ago and the crew putting out the fire there. Also some things about the war in Iraq.

"War in Iraq? See Dad, this is the reason why you should retire. And you watch TV too much I think."

"My home, my tv. Might as well watch it. And watching tv for hours is no different than you playing video games for hours.

"You know Dad, I've been thinking about something."

"If it's about that motorcycle you wanted, the answer is still no," he said to him. "You know your mother doesn't like you riding those things. I don't mind at all, but your mother will never forgive me if I helped you get one."

"No, dad, I wasn't thinking about the motorcycle," he said to him. "But I haven't forgotten about it either. Anyway, I was thinking about mom. And... I was thinking about going to see her."

"Going to see her? You mean going to Japan?"

"Yeah."

Sitting up straight from watching the tv, Benjamin looked at his son with a surprised look on his face, "Are you serious?"

"Well, yeah," he replied back to his dad. "What's the big deal about that?"

Taking in a deep breath, Benjamin began to talk seriously with his son.

"Japan is a very different country from America Jack, and also from most other countries in the world. Life is different there, the rules, their thinking, culture, attitudes, everything. And besides, you just got here a few days ago. I didn't expect to hear you say that you were thinking about leaving so soon. Let alone wanting to leave and go to Japan"

"Well dad, mom is in Japan alone and..."

"She's with her family son_."_

"Ok, well... yeah, she's with her family, but... she's also _away_ from herfamily too! Besides, being that I'm on vacation it's the perfect time to go and see her. I have plenty of time left, and I'll only be there for about 2 weeks, then come back to San Diego. No problem._"_

"No problem?"

"Yeah. No problem."

"You know every time you say _no problem_, some kind of problem always happen Jack."

"Dad, what could possibly go wrong while I'm there?"

Letting out a heavy sigh, Benjamin looked at his son, and gave him a square look.

"Well, you're getting old enough to make your own decisions in life. And arguing with you about doing things once you set your mind to it is sometimes not worth it.

As he said those words, Benjamin thought back on how against his and his mother's wishes, Jack decided to leave for New York to go to college there and study to become a teacher. So far he's doing well there, so Benjamin gave him credit for this. But now his son wants to go to Japan.

"So does this means I can go?"

"Personally, I think you should stay here. But..."

"Don't worry dad, I'll be fine. It's not like I'm going off to war or something."

"I know that, but you've never been to a foreign country before."

"I've been to Tijuana before."

"That doesn't count Jack. Although Tijuana Mexico is another country and we're separated by a border, Tijuana and San Diego are right next to each other, so they're a little bit the same. Going to Japan however, is totally different."

"I'll only be gone for 2 weeks, and then when I come back I have a week left to spend here at home before I go back to New York and for more classes. So hopefully I can see mom before I go back there. It would be a shame if I couldn't see her while I'm on vacation. I'll even bring you back a souvenir."

"For the man who has everything, he really doesn't need anything more. Now for the girl who doesn't have anything, she can use a nice new hand bag."

Turning around, Jack and his father sees Naomi standing in the doorway.

"How long have you been standing there listening to us?"

"Long enough dad. I knew Jack would do something like try to go to Japan... _mommy's boy_."

"Shut up. Just for saying that, the gift that I was going bring you from Japan has now turned into just a post card."

"Really?" she said back to him, shaking her head. "Well who says you're going to Japan anyway?"

Jack turned and looked at his father who simply told him to think carefully before he decide if he really wanted to go to Japan or not. Jack agreed, but unknown to his father, he had already given it much thought the night before.

The summer weather in southern California was nice as usual, a great day for a drive, Jack thought to himself. Driving north along California's coast was one of his favorite things to do. However, the passenger sitting besides him was not one of his favorite person to be riding up the coast with.

"Are we there yet?"

"No, but I'll be glad when we finally do get there."

After making his decision to go to Japan, Jack stayed in San Diego 3 more days and was now on his way to Los Angeles International Airport. Naomi volunteered to drive him there because she told Jack and her father that she wanted to do it because she is his sister and she loves him, but they didn't believe her at all. Jack knew that her real reason for driving him there was just to go shopping at one of her favorite places, South Coast Plaza Shopping Mall. And for the trip she decided to take along her friend Jasmine with them.

"How long will you be there?" Jasmine asked.

"Two or three weeks."

"Three weeks? You told us only two!"

"Wow, sounds exciting!" Jasmine said to them. "Wish I could go somewhere overseas for vacation. Have you ever been to Japan before?"

"No, never."

"Aren't you afraid?"

"No, I've been to a foreign country before."

"Tijuana doesn't count Jack," Naomi interjected.

"It _does_ count."

"Well I think traveling to foreign countries is cool. And actually being in the military is a good place to start your travels, like your dad did."

"I didn't know that you was interested in military life."

"A little," Jasmine said back to her. "Actually a lot now since my brother recently joined the Navy. But with the war going on over in the middle east and other parts of the world, I'm worried about him. I have no clue about life on those giant military ships. Sometimes I look at them and wonder how those things can even stay afloat on the water."

"Sometimes I wonder that myself," Jack said to her. "Once my dad took me on board as a guess aboard the ship and I got a chance to travel out at sea with him."

"A guest?"

"When a ship finish its tour of duty out at sea, if it is stationed here on the west coast, the last place it stop before it come back to the main land is Hawaii. Once it gets to Hawaii, they offer military families a chance to see what life is like on board a ship and we can ride the ship from Hawaii back to the main land as a guest. It's call it a Tiger Cruise."

"Our mother also has a couple of friends from Japan living in Hawaii, so when my dad's ship pulled into Hawaii we flew from to Hawaii to meet dad there, and also meet her friends," Naomi added. "I'm only glad that I didn't have to ride the ship back to San Diego. Just imagine, a long boring flight to Hawaii, and then an even longer boring boat ride back to San Diego."

"What was the best part of riding on the ship?" Jasmine asked.

Thinking about the question a bit Jack finally said, "Being far away from a country and then seeing it from a distance as we approach it was cool. Also traveling at night. It is pitch dark out there but when the stars and the moon are out it's like traveling through space."

"What was the worse part about riding around on the ship? And also, how long did it take you to get back from Hawaii to San Diego? What was the food like? Can you watch tv on the ship?"

"I'm afraid we don't have time to talk about all of that right now," Naomi said to her."

"Why not?"

"We're coming up on the exit to the airport."

"We'll continue this conversation when I get back Jasmine," Jack said to her. "We have to get gas. Dad told me to make sure that you have enough when you drive back to San Diego. He don't want you to do what you did the last time."

"What did she do?"

"She ran out of gas on the freeway and our father had to come and get her."

"Why didn't you get more gas Naomi?" Jasmine asked laughing.

"I _forgot_ okay!"

"No she didn't. Naomi didn't check the gas gauge to see that the tank was empty."

Jasmine continued laughing hysterically.

"Just stop somewhere and put gas in the car for us ok."

Inside the airport Jack checked in, and after a while of waiting they heard the call from the terminal loud speakers that it was time for all passengers to board the plane. He tells Naomi to be careful while she is driving back to San Diego and that he will also call them when he get there safely. Giving his sister a hug Jack goes to board the plane, but before he does Naomi yells at him.

"What?"

"I almost forgot. Here."

"What's this?"

"It's Mom's. When she left she forgot to take it with her. You know how much she is fond of it, so when you see her give it to her."

Looking at it, Jack recognized the item as his mother's Onamori.

"Mom's favorite tea bag?"

"Just because it's shaped like one it's not a tea bag stupid," she said back to him. "And you better not let mom hear you say that about it either."

Jack examined his mother's Onamori briefly. She received it from her mother, and although according to Japanese tradition she is supposed to replace it once a year during new years eve she never did. Throughout her years of living in America, his mother's Onamori was the one thing that she had brought from Japan that she valued the most.

"I'll be sure she get's it," he said looking at it curiously. "You know, I've always wanted to know what was inside one of these things..."

Getting mad at him, Naomi glared at Jack, and told him not to ever even think about opening it.

"Mom said never do that. And if you did she would know.

"How do you know?"

"Think about it stupid, she's had it for a long time. _She would know!_ And if she didn't know, I'd tell her that you opened it myself. Promise me you won't open it."

The announcement once again comes on for all bound for the flight to Japan to board the plane.

"You'd better not open it Jack! You hear me?"

"Alright, yeah, whatever, I won't open it. I gotta go," he said while putting the Onamori in his sister's backpack that he borrowed again. "I'll call you all when I get there."

"Ok, bye bye then brother."

"Hey!"

"Oh, right, I mean... _See you later!"_

"That's better."

"What's that all about?" Jasmine asked.

"Jack doesn't like to hear the words bye bye."

"Why?"

"Never mind that Jasmine, you don't need to know."

"Yeah, it's a long story anyway," Naomi said turning to Jasmine and winking at her, which Jasmine understood as meaning that Naomi will tell her about it later. "Be careful over there ok, and have fun."

"I will. See you two later." Jack said to them as he turned away from them and entered the boarding terminal.

"Okay, have a nice time there."

"Cute!"

Quickly turning around, Naomi looked to see who Jasmine was talking about.

"Who? Where?"

"Right there!" she said pointing to the guy who had already passed the ticket agent and was waving see you later to them. "He just went through the gate."

_"My brother?"_

"Yeahh."

"Are you drunk?"

"No."

"Are you crazy?"

"No. And you should set me up on a date with him when he comes back."

The only thing I'm going set you up with is a nice pair of shoes when we get to South Coast Plaza. I'm sure that will cure you of any... _diseased thoughts_ that you have for my brother."

"Oh yeah, we are going there aren't we?"

"Yeah. Just as soon as pin head gets on the plane."

Jack took one last look at Naomi and Jasmine, and they all wave at each other once more. He then rounded the corner and headed down the boarding terminal towards his flight.


End file.
